YAY! It's summer! This means I'll actually have time to do stuff! Before I get into the review, I have a few announcements to make. Well, I've been trying to learn Japanese, so I decided to mess around with PHP/MySQL and make some sort of online quiz tool to work on memorizing characters. It still isn't completed - I haven't put all of the hiragana in the database yet, and haven't started on the other character sets, but I guess you can go ahead an look at it. Link - HERE!

In addition - I've been working on a new game that I may or may not post soon. Oh well... just keep checking back.

And now for the review.

Well, I had heard about Okami when it came out for the ps2, but not possessing one of these, I pretty much ignored it. Only recently did I notice that it had been ported for the Wii, so I decided to pick up a copy and test it out. I've really liked it so far... I haven't beaten the game yet, but it has been quite fun.

So, you're basically a sun deity who has been given the body of a wolf, and now you must help cleanse the land of an evil curse that has been cast over it. You gain magical brush powers that you can use to draw in missing things - such as bridge pieces - cause plants to bloom, create vines, slash enemies, create bombs, etc. You can use these powers both throughout the main game and in combat - most of the puzzles involve using a combination of brush strokes. The game sends you on various quests and missions which move the story along, but give you a vague feeling of control over what you do.

Whenever you approach an enemy, you enter combat with them in a small, closed-off arena. Combat is quite fun... you get to pick between various divine weapons that you acquire throughout the game, each with unique abilities and strengths. You swing the wii remote to execute your main attack, and use brush strokes or other techniques to use your various abilities and moves.

The graphical style is unique - it is meant to imitate traditional Japanese ink and watercolor paintings. I really like the art, and think that it helps contribute to the feel of the game. The sound is nice as well... the music helps set the atmosphere, and my only complaint would be the rather cheesy fake voice effects used whenever there is dialog.

The game, while never too difficult, is fun and challenging. For the most part, monsters can be seen before you encounter them, giving you the ability to avoid fighting them if you choose. The most frustrating parts of the game would have to be the scripted sequences that occur whenever you are helping a character complete a task, and have to quickly complete a designated brush stroke multiple times in a row. If you miss or mess up once, you have to start the whole sequence from the beginning.

One thing that struck me as I was playing the game is its similarity to the Zelda series. I mean... Here I am, a WOLF, wandering through multi-layered dungeons, completing small puzzles and tasks to finally open the door to the big boss at the end... wandering through plains, jungles, and mountains, helping people with various tasks, buying and selling items at vendor shops, collecting various items... small annoying assistant person, humorous, but at times forced, NPC's... the whole thing seemed like it was just the next Zelda game, but with a Japanese theme. But, for some reason, I was okay with this. The game is just... fun! Never mind that it isn't mindblowingly original or genre-defining like Portal... this game just shows that the classic Zelda-style action-adventure game is still as much fun to play now as it was when it first started.

If you have a Wii or a PS2 and liked the Zelda games, I would definitely recommend buying this game. Enough small bits of originality and spirit shine through to make this a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.